1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tubes and other containers, and more specifically to an improved dispenser tube device for fluid materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dispenser tubes for fluid materials are well known. Most such tubes provide a flexible housing or envelope member with a unitary internal cavity generally filled with the material to be dispensed (e.g., toothpaste), and having one open end selectively sealable with a cap or other structure, and a permanently sealed base. When the cap is removed, the user may squeeze the tube housing, and a (desired) quantity of material is dispensed through the opening. However, pressing or squeezing the tube at any point other than the extreme base often results in some portion of the material being displaced forward, and the remainder being displaced backward in the cavity towards the base. This effect becomes even more pronounced as the tube becomes less full. The problem can be somewhat alleviated by "rolling" the tube up from the base as the contents are dispensed, thereby reducing the size of the remaining cavity and forcing the material to exit through the opening, but even this procedure can be awkward and inefficient.
A further problematic issue with a dispenser tube having a unitary internal cavity is that some materials can become hard or otherwise unusable after the tube has been opened and its contents exposed to air. For example, glue or other volatile materials may harden in their dispenser tube after only a few uses.